Single-shot polarimetry of vector beams by supervised learning

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel single-shot method for measuring complex vector beam polarizations using light scattering and supervised learning, enabling fast, compact, and scalable polarimetry without traditional optics.

Contribution

It presents a new approach combining multiple light scattering with supervised learning to measure and classify multiple polarization modes in vector beams in a single shot.

Findings

Achieved single-shot measurement of vector beam polarizations.

Enabled classification of beams with unknown polarization modes.

Provided a fast, compact polarimeter for structured light.

Abstract

States of light encoding multiple polarizations - vector beams - offer unique capabilities in metrology and communication. However, their practical application is limited by the lack of methods for measuring many polarizations in a scalable and compact way. Here we demonstrate polarimetry of vector beams in a single shot without any polarization optics. We map the beam polarization content into a spatial intensity distribution through multiple light scattering and exploit supervised learning for single-shot measurements of multiple polarizations. The method also allows us to classify beams with an unknown number of polarization modes, a functionality missing in conventional techniques. Our findings enable a fast and compact polarimeter for polarization-structured light, a universal tool that may radically impact optical devices for sensing, imaging, and computing.